Trauma can comein many ways, and the wound can manifest into many different forms. Whether or not the trauma manifested into PTSD or C-PTSD, we can help! Our approach to treatment starts with each client, learning about their specific trauma and their unique struggles in response to that trauma. That information is essential to being able to create the best treatment plan for each client. Some of the theoretical approaches we use for trauma include Cognitive Processing Therapy, Written Exposure Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and neurofeedback. It really depends on the client as to which approach or combination of approaches that we use.
Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is a fairly new approach that has been researched for over a decade. It has been tested on veterans and active service members, and has been shown to minimize dropout rates due to it being a brief therapy of only 5 sessions. However, it is specific to the traumatic event itself, teaching the brain that it can control the memory. With trauma, the intrusive and unplanned residual thoughts are the most detrimental to our daily lives. WET allows the brain to understand, reorganize, and take control over that wound. From there, we work on the comorbidities of anxiety and depression that are lingering from years of battling the memory of the trauma.
Cognitive Processing Therapy is a unique approach that works to change the way we percieve the memory of the trauma. Many times, a traumatic experience can change some of our core beliefs, which then in turn changes our persepective and perception of everyday interactions. In CPT, we work to uncover these issues and re-process the event in a different light.
Neurofeedback is an amazing treatment for reorganizing how the brain processess information. We use a practitioner free system that is listening to the electrical activity of the brain while the client is listening to very calming music. As the system notices a shift in the electrical activity, it takes the music away for a milisecond. That makes the brain take a look at what is going on, similar to a poke to the arm saying, “pay attention!”. When the brain begins to pay attention to itself, it notices automatic processes that are no longer helpful or comfortable, and it adjusts itself. Every brain is as unique as DNA and knows what it needs to stay in comfort. By using neurofeedback to give the brain a mirror, it can optimize itself.
If you or someone you know is struggling with trauma and the negative effects it brings to your everyday life, let us help. Contact us today to get started!